FSU Social Work Celebrates Fall 2017 Graduates
On December 15, 2017, FSU College of Social Work celebrated with fall 2017 graduates and their guests at special ceremony and reception in the Oglesby Ballrooms on FSU’s Tallahassee main campus. Dean Jim Clark presided over the occasion with MSW Program Director Fran Gomory presenting MSW students with their FSU College of Social Work alumni pins. Field Education Director Katrina Boone, filling in for BSW Program Director Pam MacDill, presented BSW graduates with their alumni pins in front of a crowd of friends and family.
BSW graduate Noelle Flynt represented her fellow fall graduates as the ceremony’s student speaker. “The College of Social Work has encouraged us all to grow, change and face our fears in ways we may never have expected. I would like to leave you all with a few words of advice that I hope you’ll remember,” Noelle said during her speech. “Never be afraid to venture in a direction you did not originally think you would travel. It will probably feel strange and intimidating at first, but if it’s the right path for you, any fear you may experience will be worth it when you reach the end of the road and recall all the joy you’ve found along the way. Pablo Picasso once said, “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”
Noelle stood out from among her peers as an exemplary social work scholar and student through her collegiate and community engagement. A member of both the Phi Alpha and Golden Key Honor Societies and communications director for the FSU Association of Student Social Workers, she also received the Social Work Undergraduate Research Award. Noelle was also a member of FSU’s Premier All-Female acapella group Acabelles and was a sister of the International Music Fraternity Sigma Alpha Iota. She is also a former English tutor for speakers of other languages with Literacy Volunteers of Leon County and a mentor with PeaceJam Southeast, an international education organization connecting Nobel Laureates with youth to inspire positive social change. She plans to pursue her MSW and social work licensure to work with active duty military populations.
Following student speaker, Noelle Flynt was social work alumna and Keynote Speaker, Dr. Jessica Pryce. She encouraged graduates in the audience to learn and remember the values of social work that served as a compass for her during her career and currently in her role as Director of the Florida Institute for Child Welfare at FSU. “I was empowered to serve, prioritize social justice, to respect the dignity and worth of every single person regardless of their gender, race, sexual orientation, sexual identity or religion. I learned the value of human connections and to cultivate meaningful relationships, work with integrity and ethics, and to pursue a high level of professional and emotional competence,” she said during her speech. She also attributed to her time at FSU a greater understanding of the importance of good writing skills in social work and an understanding of vulnerable populations and the systemic barriers they encounter that contributes to disparities and oppression.
“Stay connected to those that understand why you went into social work. Stay connected, encourage each other, develop each other, and mobilize each other,” Dr. Pryce advised in her speech’s conclusion. “Know yourself and be kind to yourself. Embrace the notion that the best and most effective social work comes from a healthy social worker.”
A native of Florida, Dr. Pryce completed her undergraduate education at Florida Southern College followed by her MSW (2009) at FSU. After working as a child protective investigator with the Florida Department of Children and Families, she went on to complete her doctoral degree at Howard University with a focus on the sustainability of the child welfare workforce and improving the well-being of vulnerable children and families. Pryce's child welfare research has been published and presented at 20+ conferences and roundtables both nationally and internationally. In her current roles as director of the Florida Institute for Child Welfare, she continues to champion improvement of Florida’s child welfare practice and service provision through research and evaluation.
The reception of 180 attendees concluded with light refreshments, conversation and photo opportunities with friends and colleagues. Visit the FSU College of Social Work Facebook page to view photos of the event.